The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), successfully organised the Empowering ASEAN’s Clean Energy Future: Policy Insights and Collaborative Pathways for Fostering Cleantech Innovation and Entrepreneurship in ASEAN workshop on 25–26 August 2025. This regional workshop is organised as part of the Enhancement of Clean Energy Technology Ecosystem and Its Connectivity in ASEAN project. The event brought together members of the Project Steering Committee, representatives from ASEAN Member States (AMS), and key stakeholders from the private sector who are actively supporting the advancement of the Cleantech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (CIEE).  

The meeting brought together 44 participants on Day 1—including 23 women and 21 men—with an even split of 22 attending in person and 22 joining online. On Day 2, a total of 42 participants took part, comprising 22 women and 20 men, with 26 attending in person and 16 online. Overall, women represented 52.3% of participants, reflecting ASEAN’s growing commitment to inclusive participation in the energy transition and to embedding gender-responsive practices in regional cooperation. 

Photo 1. Regional Workshop Participants 

The workshop opened with remarks from Ir. Ts. Zulkiflee Umar, Deputy Director of Energy Efficiency & Conservation at Energy Commission of Malaysia, as the Chair of the Project Steering Committee, and Naing Naing Linn, Head of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Department, ACE, who underscored the importance of collective action in strengthening regional cleantech ecosystems. 

Photo 2. Opening Remarks from Ir. Ts. Zulkiflee Umar, Energy Commission of Malaysia (top) and Naing Naing Linn, ACE (bottom).

The first day began with a scene-setting presentation by Zahra Aninda Pradiva, Junior Officer of EE&C Department, ACE, on the Landscape of Cleantech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in ASEAN. She highlighted that based on the 8th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO8), ASEAN’s energy demand is projected to nearly double by 2050, while regional targets under ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) call for a 32% reduction in energy intensity and a 23% renewable energy share by 2025. She underscored the importance of cleantech innovation in balancing economic growth, energy transition, and climate resilience, and introduced the CIEE Framework as a means to connect start-ups, MSMEs, researchers, investors, and policymakers. 

Photo 3. Scene Setting by Zahra Aninda Pradiva, ACE 

The first session, Country Reports on Policy Frameworks and Support Mechanisms for the Implementation of CIEE, provided an overview of national progress and challenges in advancing cleantech. Highlights included Cambodia’s 2050 Carbon Neutrality Strategy and EV Policy, Indonesia’s Net Zero roadmap with fiscal incentives, and Lao PDR’s 2030 targets for energy savings and EV adoption. Malaysia presented its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2024, Myanmar outlined its EV and efficiency policies, while the Philippines reported over 750 GWh of savings under RA 11285. Thailand detailed renewable energy and start-up support, and Vietnam showcased MOIT-backed initiatives for energy efficiency start-ups. Collectively, the reports showed strong progress but also persistent gaps in financing, policy alignment, and scaling innovation. 

The second session, National Policies and Regional Cooperation for Advancing CIEE Implementation, examined how national frameworks and regional initiatives can collectively strengthen the cleantech ecosystem in ASEAN. Irma Ramadan, Senior Officer of EE&C Department, ACE, presented an analysis of the region’s regulatory landscape, observing that while all AMS have policies to support cleantech, these remain fragmented across ministries and lack the cross-border mechanisms needed for financing and technology exchange. Septia Buntara Supendi, Senior Officer of the Energy and Minerals Division, ASEAN Secretariat, followed with a presentation on the ASEAN Strategy for Carbon Neutrality, highlighting cleantech as central to regional decarbonisation. He emphasised the role of regional initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid, emerging carbon markets, and blended finance in enabling scalable clean energy solutions. 

Adding a national perspective, Mohd Aizat Mohd Alies, Head of Unit for the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021–2030 and Project Management Officer, Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd., introduced SUPER as Malaysia’s strategy to position itself as a global start-up hub. The roadmap focuses on attracting investment, scaling up university spin-offs, and consolidating support through the MYStartup portal to build a more resilient and innovative ecosystem. 

The session concluded with a focus group discussion, where delegates identified persistent barriers such as fragmented regulations, limited access to financing, and infrastructure gaps. To address these challenges, participants recommended collaborative pathways including the development of an ASEAN cleantech roadmap, the establishment of regional green financing initiatives, and the creation of inclusive platforms for knowledge-sharing and cross-border collaboration. 

Photo 4. Mohd Aizat Mohd Alies, Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd. (left) and Irma Ramadan, ACE (right) 

The final session, Insights on Incentives and Financial Mechanisms to Drive CIEE, explored how targeted fiscal and non-fiscal measures can accelerate cleantech innovation across ASEAN. Zahra Aninda Pradiva, Junior Officer of EE&C Department, ACE, presented on Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Incentives as Key Drivers of CIEE Acceleration, underscoring the need for instruments tailored to the realities of MSMEs. She called for expanded fiscal mechanisms alongside complementary non-fiscal approaches, including preferential procurement, dedicated R&D facilities, and structured business matchmaking platforms, to help early-stage innovators bridge market entry barriers and scale successfully. 

Devi Laksmi, Policy Analyst and Group Coordinator for Energy Conservation Business Development at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, followed with a presentation on Aligning Policy Framework to Support Clean Energy Entrepreneurship. She highlighted Indonesia’s recent policy reforms, which strengthen renewable energy deployment and establish a carbon economic value mechanism, supported by fiscal incentives such as tax allowances, import duty exemptions, and the use of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Adding a regional investment perspective, Dr. Ambiyah Abdullah, Senior Researcher in Energy Modelling and Policy Planning, ACE, presented on Investment Trends in Cleantech Entrepreneurship Across ASEAN. She noted that although ASEAN continues to attract significant foreign direct investment, clean energy still accounts for only 10% of total energy-related flows, with fossil fuels dominating the landscape. She emphasised the urgent need for blended finance structures and de-risking mechanisms to mobilise capital at the scale required to align with the 1.5°C pathway. 

In the subsequent focus group discussions, participants acknowledged persistent challenges such as limited access to financing, the absence of demonstration and pilot-testing labs, and fragmented regulations that deter the growth of the cleantech ecosystem. They proposed a set of recommendations, including preferential tax treatments, the establishment of regional knowledge-sharing platforms, and procurement priorities for cleantech MSMEs, all of which could serve as critical levers to strengthen the enabling environment for clean energy entrepreneurship across the region. 

Photo 5. Focus Group Discussion 

The second day began with a scene-setting presentation by Irma Ramadan, Senior Officer at EE&C Department, ACE, on Promoting an Inclusive Cleantech Ecosystem in ASEAN through Capacity Building and Gender Empowerment Initiatives. She emphasised that achieving carbon neutrality requires not only innovation but also stronger institutions and inclusivity, highlighting training, certification, and women’s leadership as key to building a resilient cleantech ecosystem. 

Photo 6. Scene Setting by Irma Ramadan, ACE.

The first session, Facilitating Clean Energy Transition in ASEAN by Cultivating CIEE Initiatives, brought together perspectives from governments, international organisations, and entrepreneurs. Mizuki Saito, First Secretary, Japan Mission to ASEAN, presented on Japan’s Initiatives and Supports for the Cleantech Entrepreneurship in ASEAN, outlining Japan’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 and highlighting initiatives such as AZEC, JCM, and CEFIA, which mobilise finance, technology transfer, and partnerships across Southeast Asia. Dr. Noboru Zama, Project Manager and Industrial Development Expert, UNIDO, followed with a presentation on UNIDO’s Initiative and Support on Climate Technology Innovation in ASEAN, introducing the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP), which has supported over 2,100 cleantech start-ups worldwide—35–40% of them women-led—and is now active in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Adding an entrepreneurial perspective, Dilla Ibtida, Head of Business Development at Innovation Factory (IF), presented Accelerating Cleantech Startups: Key Strategies in Incubation and Growth, sharing approaches to help start-ups overcome the “Valley of Death” through incubators and accelerators. She highlighted ASEAN Sparks, an accelerator initiated by ACE in partnership with UNIDO, supported by JAIF, and implemented by IF, which supports the growth of clean energy and climate tech enterprises across ASEAN Member States through a phased structure of Ignite (foundational skills), Catalyse (intensive scaling support), and Elevate (start-up and investor matchmaking). 

 Photo 7. (Left to right) Zahra Aninda Pradiva of ACE, Dilla Ibtida of Innovation Factory,  Mizuki Saito of the Japan Mission to ASEAN, and Dr. Noboru Zama, UNIDO. 

The second session, The Critical Role of Continuous Capacity Building in Empowering CIEE Entrepreneurs, highlighted the importance of strengthening skills, resources, and networks to advance cleantech innovation in ASEAN. Irma Ramadan presented on Analysing National and Regional Initiatives for Strengthening the Capacity of Cleantech Entrepreneurs, emphasising that while MSMEs remain the backbone of ASEAN’s economy, they face major constraints in training, finance, and networking support to scale their solutions. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Project Development Manager, Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC), followed with a presentation on Enhancing Entrepreneurial Capacity for Cleantech Innovation in Vietnam, explaining how NIC’s new autonomy enables it to mobilise funds, run innovation challenges, and expand partnerships in areas such as hydrogen and electric vehicle ecosystems, with an inclusivity target of 30% women-led participation. 

Dr. Bruno Mendívez Vasquez, Assistant Lecturer, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, contributed insights on Capacity Building Initiatives for Cleantech Innovation, drawing on international best practices from his team’s work with the South Korea and West Virginia government to show how pairing advanced digital innovation with policymaker support, regional training, and knowledge exchange can strengthen ASEAN’s cleantech ecosystem. The session concluded with focus group discussions, where participants identified funding gaps, limited networking opportunities, and fragmented expertise as common barriers. To address these, they recommended solutions including cross-border talent mobility, harmonised monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and regional awareness campaigns. 

Photo 7. (Left to right) Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao of Vietnam National Innovation Centre, Irma Ramdan of ACE, and Dr. Bruno Mendivez, MSDI.

The final session, Fostering Gender Inclusivity and Empowerment in Cleantech Innovation and Entrepreneurship, centred on advancing gender equality in the sector. Zahra Aninda Pradiva, Junior Officer of EE&C Department, ACE, underscored that women remain underrepresented in ASEAN’s energy workforce—accounting for only about 20%—and continue to face wage gaps, financing barriers, and cultural biases that restrict their involvement in cleantech start-ups, warning that without gender-responsive policies, ASEAN risks losing critical opportunities for innovation. Patrick Aquino, Director of Energy Utilization Management Bureau, Philippines Department of Energy (DOE), presented on Enabling Women Leadership in Clean Energy Sector, illustrating how the Philippines has embedded gender mainstreaming into energy programmes and project evaluations, making inclusivity both a guiding principle and a measurable outcome. Jonathan Davin, Chief Operating Officer, O2 Consulting Indonesia, followed with a presentation on Gender Inclusivity Initiatives in Clean Energy in ASEAN, urging stakeholders to recognise gender inclusivity as a commercial imperative rather than a mere social obligation, and stressing the importance of engaging both men and women to achieve real progress. 

Photo 8. Jonathan Davin of O2 Consulting Indonesia (left), and Athena Galao of UN Women (right).

Athena Galao, Programme Coordinator, UN Women, presented on Global Initiatives on Women Empowerment in the Cleantech Sector, highlighting the EmPower Women for Climate Resilient Societies initiative, which demonstrates how women’s leadership strengthens governance, climate action, and economic outcomes. She called for embedding gender targets in energy policies, advancing gender-lens financing, and institutionalising mentorship platforms to expand opportunities for women in cleantech. The session concluded with focus group discussions, where participants identified key barriers such as limited networking opportunities, restrictive cultural norms, and inadequate access to information for women in cleantech start-ups. Proposed solutions included tailored mentorship programmes, dedicated policy dialogue forums, and stronger advocacy platforms to drive inclusive participation across the sector. 

Photo 9. Focus Group Discussion 

The workshop concluded with a summary and way forward presentation by Irma Ramadan, consolidating the key insights and recommendations. The meeting noted persistent barriers to advancing ASEAN’s CIEE, including fragmented policies, limited access to finance, weak R&D infrastructure, skill gaps, low public awareness, and the continued underrepresentation of women in technical and entrepreneurial roles. 

To address these, the meeting recommended the development of a regional cleantech roadmap, ASEAN-wide green financing and risk-sharing mechanisms, and harmonised policy frameworks. It further called for cross-border knowledge exchange, research-to-pilot testing grants, and fiscal incentives such as tax breaks and soft loans to support innovation. The meeting also stressed the importance of joint awareness campaigns, structured mentorship, and inclusive accelerator programmes, particularly to enhance opportunities for women-led enterprises and strengthen ASEAN’s cleantech ecosystem as a whole. 

The event formally concluded with closing remarks from Ir. Ts. Zulkiflee Umar and Naing Naing Linn, who expressed appreciation to all participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions. They reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to advancing a robust, inclusive, and collaborative cleantech ecosystem, emphasising that the insights and recommendations gathered from the workshop will inform future regional strategies—most notably the APAEC 2026–2030—and help accelerate ASEAN’s transition towards a sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon future.